A lack of interest means this film is not going far (There's Only One Jimmy Grimble (DVD))

Member Name: LukeCroll

Product:	There's Only One Jimmy Grimble (DVD)
Date:	09/09/00 (24 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Football is something that most people in England love

Disadvantages: Released at the wrong time

Every so often British movies are released in different ways. Some are released with a bang, whereas others only appear with a whimper. ‘There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble’ falls into the latter category, which is a shame, as there are worse films on release at the moment.

It stars Lewis McKenzie as the eponymous hero, a boy who has a difficult life at school and at home, due to his mother’s numerous boyfriends, but who takes solace in football. However, he is just not very good. Still, when a homeless woman gives him a pair of magic boots, his luck changes and he becomes the star of the football team, to the delight of its coach, played by Robert Carlyle.

This is a predictable film, that much is undeniable. You always know what is going to happen in the end and it is the type of film that gives you a warm glow when it ends, as you know that everything turned out the way that it should have done. McKenzie, a newcomer to the cinema scene, puts in a good performance and I imagine that we will be seeing more of him some day soon. Carlyle also puts in his usual great performance, although the coach’s role is not one of the meatiest to be found.

On watching this movie, you find it reasonably enjoyable, despite its predictability, etc. However, it is hard to think that cinema release is the best thing for this movie. Instead, it is more like a film that would do better going straight to video or TV. It is very much a small screen film, simply because it does not have the power to pull in the public.

At the moment, we are seeing a long stream of major Hollywood movies and ‘Jimmy Grimble’ is going to fall by the wayside, ignored. True, the fact that it is about football may alienate quite a few people, but I am sure that young people could well feel empathy with Grimble and adults will find this just a pleasant film to watch.

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